United Kingdom Officially United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign island state located on the northwest coast of the European continent. The United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, as well as many other smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom with a land border, in this case with the Republic of Ireland. Outside this land border, the country is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. The largest island, Great Britain, is connected with France by the Eurotunnel.

The United Kingdom is a political union of four "constituent countries": Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The government is governed by a parliamentary system, which is headquartered in the capital city of London, and by a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. The Channel Islands Crown (or Channel Islands) dependencies and the Isle of Man (formally Crown possessions) are not part of the United Kingdom, but form a confederation with it.

The country has fourteen overseas territories, all remnants of the British Empire, which at its peak had nearly a quarter of the Earth's surface, making it the largest empire in history. As a result of the imperial era, British influence in the world can be seen in the language, culture and judicial systems of many of its former colonies, such as Canada, Australia, India and the United States. Queen Elizabeth II remains the head of the Commonwealth and head of state for each of the monarchies in the Commonwealth.

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English

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Pound sterling

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You will not need an entry permit (visa) if you have a passport from the United Kingdom, the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland.
 
The European Union (EU) includes:
Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden

The EEA includes:
Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and the 27 EU countries listed above
If you do not have a UK, EU, EEA or Swiss passport, you may need a visa (entry permit) to come to the UK. It will be classified into one of the following categories:
Third country nationals subject to visa requirement.
Visit the Home Office website and see if your country is on the list of third countries subject to the visa requirement.

If your country is on this list and would like to travel to the UK, you will need a visa. You will need to apply for a visa at a British Consulate or Embassy in your home country.

Visit the Ministry of Foreign and Commonwealth website to find out where you can apply for it in your own country.

If you are a third-country national subject to a visa requirement but are only in transit in the United Kingdom to travel to another country, you may still need a transit visa or transit visitor visa.

Visit the UK Border Agency website for more information on transit visas or visitor visas.

Third-country citizens exempt from visa requirement
If your country is not on the list of third countries subject to the visa requirement above, your category is a third-country citizen exempt from the visa requirement.
 
Visa-exempt third-country nationals coming to the United Kingdom for less than six months do not need a visa unless this is a requirement of the immigration category through which they are entering.
 
Visa-exempt third-country citizens coming to the United Kingdom for more than six months will need a visa.
 
Visa-free citizens also generally need an entry permit if they come to work under the Points Based System.

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For many tourists, Heathrow Airport is the only point in the UK that they know outside of London. Perfectly understandable, considering that each time they get off the tube, they come across a super attraction: National Gallery, British Museum, Hyde Park and Portobello Road Fair. But it is worth remembering that it is worth exploring the different territories under the crown of Elizabeth II. Discover the Roman Baths of Bath and the mysteries of Stonehenge in Salisbury. In Liverpool, the city of the Beatles, follow in the footsteps of John, Paul, Ringo and George, but be sure to browse the city's excellent museums. Hop on London's favorite resort in Brighton and get a feel for royalty in Windsor.

Explore the sport's holy temples such as the mythical Wimbledom courts, the venerable Wembley stadium and the sprawling Ascot racecourse. Discover that local cuisine goes far beyond fish and chips, tasting the new culinary wave of celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and starring Tom Aikens. Already the cultural life is bustling, with theaters promoting concerts and musicals for all tastes, art galleries with excellent productions and some of the best museums on the planet, with collections formed when the British Empire boasted that, under its dominions, the The sun never set.

In short, from ghosts to castles to the pop's finest, from historical characters to the world's hottest monarchy, England is always an incredible destination, both for a first-time visitor and those who never tire of returning to this intriguing and multicultural place. .

In time: The official name of the country is United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with Great Britain consisting of England, Scotland and Wales.

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The cuisine of England was formed by the temperate climate of that country, its geography and history, including the various interactions with other European countries and the importation of ingredients and ideas from places like North America, China and India during the period of the British Empire. , and as a result of postwar immigration.

Since the Modern Age England's food has historically been characterized by the simplicity of its focus and the high quality of local produce. This was largely influenced by the Puritan heritage of England, which resulted in traditional cuisine tending to move away from strong flavors like garlic, and to avoid complex sauces commonly associated with continental Catholic political affiliations.

Some of the more traditional dishes have ancient origins, such as local breads and cheeses, roast meats and stews, game pies and freshwater and saltwater fish. The 14th century English cookbook, Forme of Cury, by Richard II's court, contains recipes for some of these dishes.

Other typical dishes, such as fish and chips, originally urban street food, served in a newspaper and food with salt and malt vinegar, and pies and sausages, bangers and mash and sausages served with mashed potatoes, onions and sauces, They are currently just as popular as other Oriental dishes, such as Indian and Bangladeshi curry and Chinese and Thai-inspired frying. French and Italian cuisines, considered "suspect" for some time, are now widely admired and adapted in England. Britain has also quickly embraced fast-food innovations from the United States, and continues to absorb culinary ideas from around the world, while at the same time rediscovering its roots in sustainable rural agriculture.

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The United Kingdom has a temperate climate, with heavy rainfall throughout the year. The temperature varies throughout the seasons, but is rarely below 10 ° C or above 35 ° C.

The wind blows mainly from the southwest, with frequent discontinuous breezes that bring the humid climate of the Atlantic Ocean.

The east is most affected by this wind and is often the driest. Atlantic currents, warmed by the Gulf Stream, cause mild winters, especially in the west, where winters are wet, and especially in the highlands.

Summers are hot in southeastern England, close to those in continental Europe, and colder in the north. Snow can occur in winter and early spring, but is rarely seen with great magnitude away from the highlands.

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In public places tourists / travelers should not leave bags or suitcases they carry as they will be collected by the police and later destroyed.

On the street tourists / travelers should:
- Ensure theft of bags, wallets and cameras, which are common in most tourist areas. Theft of identity documents is frequent, so it is recommended not to circulate with all identity documents (ID, Citizen Card, Passport and others);
- be careful to buy theater or concert tickets only from accredited vendors, not giving in to offers that are often made by "street vendors";
- Only use licensed taxis (license plate must be visible outside the vehicle);
- be careful when crossing the streets as traffic circulates in the opposite direction to that of Portugal;
- be careful to move around well-lit and busy areas, especially at night, like all major cities.

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The health network is relatively good.
 
EEC citizens are entitled to health care on an equal basis with British citizens by presenting their identity card. It should be noted, however, that private health services are usually quite expensive and travel insurance is therefore recommended. In any other non-emergency situation, the relevant Community regulations will apply, in particular through the presentation of the European Health Insurance Card - CESD.
 
The European Health Insurance Card is a document that ensures the provision of health care that becomes clinically necessary during the stay in the territory of another Member State or Party. The card does not cover situations where a person travels to another state for medical treatment.
 
As there are no special health prevention measures in the UK, travelers should behave in the same way as in any western European country. Emergency medical ambulances are available by calling 999 and 112 for sudden illness, collapse or accident.

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Electricity
The electricity is 230V and 50 Hz.
It is advisable to have a universal outlet adapter kit.

Telecommunications
The traveler will easily find all available means of access to information and telecommunications currently available, namely mobile operators network (subject to roaming), public telephones and Internet network (accessible here through the numerous terminals available in cafes and other establishments).

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